Pieces of Love
by Logical Nonsense Galore
Summary: Vash and Knives live together peacefully under one roof after the duel in the desert. But things begin to change for what seems to be the worst. then, a new woman suddenly appears and things get crazy. rated for voilence, language
1. Part 1

_Pre-Author's Note: _This is my first ever fanfiction. I LOVED this show. I also really would like feed back, so phleeze read and review, cause I know u love me.

_Authors Note for part 1: I really dreamed this up one night. I changed it a little so it could be coherent. I assumed the setting was after the first 26 Trigun episodes. Another part of me wants to say it is in Japan, but let's assume that the cities got a little more industrialized. I would also like to point out that Mar in Spanish means 'Sea'. Okay? Good. Read on._

Pieces of Love, Part 1: 

Vash and Knives sat around their apartment in silence. Sitting crossed legs on the floor, Vash watched his coffee get cold. The other leaned against a wall, staring his own reflection in the window. He looked so different now; they both did. Knives had let his hair grow out again, like it was when he and Vash had both been aboard the project SEEDS ship. Vash had retired his red coat and shades, but had kept the spiky hair. It made him think of Rem. They found simple clothes that almost matched what they had worn when they were children. The easy gray of their youth. Times had most certainly changed.

The two of them had lived for years in this apartment in peace. They didn't speak much, but valued the company. Neither of them left much either, seeing as that they were both wanted men. Vash was content with his coffee and meditations, Knives with staring out the window and thinking. But today, things had started to change again. Knives's old self was starting to wake up.

"Vash?" he asked, eyes glued on the pane.

Vash looked up, "Yea?"

"Why are we here?"

His brother paused, "Because... there is a $$60 billion bounty on both of our heads?"

"No, I mean, why are _we_ here? On this planet? We were trained to make it a paradise but instead we stay here and plant trees at night when no one is looking," he said, sounding a little angry.

Vash looked puzzled.

"They are lowly, conniving worms, brother. If we could, I wouldn't let them in paradise. They'd simply ruin it again, don't you think?" he said, turning to face Vash. His eyes were starting to get crazy.

"I don't think so, Knives. If they were given all they needed, then they wouldn't need to be bad. I would, everyone should get the chance to live," he replied defensively. He didn't like where this was going. A strong sense of deja vu echoed in his skull.

"Then who decides when that chance has been expired?"

"No one. People don't have the power to decide who lives and who dies. Don't you remember anything Rem said?"

"Don't talk to me about that old fool," Knives growled, his voice rising. "She didn't understand anything. And that's where your right Vash," he said, standing. "Brother."

He smirked and pulled out his old gun and pointed it at Vash's head, "People don't have that right. But we aren't people, are we?"

Vash gasped and felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his face. He yelled, "Knives, what are you doing!?"

"You are either with me, or against me. What shall it be? From the way your talking, I'd say you're an enemy," he cocked the gun. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," he mused. Grinning wildly, he pulled the trigger.

The bullet missed Vash, but just barely. It shattered the glass behind him, making it spill out into the streets below and over Vash's face and arms. Vash put up his arm defensively, covering his eyes. Out of nowhere, Knives body checked Vash through the other unbroken window, sending him plummeting to the ground. People on the streets gasped and backed away from Vash as he struggled to get up. Knives stood in the window, watching him. Out of his pocket, Knives withdrew his only extra bullet and reloaded it into the barrel. Legs shaking, Vash stood, wiping blood from his eyes.

Knives took a shot out the window, getting Vash right in the shoulder. People screamed and started to run away. Vash looked up at his brother and bolted off into the back alleys of the town. Knives took another shoot, which got Vash in the side, but he kept running. Vash disappeared around the corner and out of view.

"Shit," Knives swore, Picking up and smashing Vash's cold coffee on the carpeted floor. The black seeped in slowly, leavening behind a cold brown stain.

Knives jumped through the window and started to pursue Vash, gun cocked and ready. Running as fast as his injured body would allow, Vash staggered through the alley, bleeding from his bullet holes. Knives rounded the corner again and fired. Vash fell to his knees, clutching his stomach where the new hole was. He pulled his hands away, and gasped as the blood dripped off and formed dark pools in the dirt at his knees.

"That's it," Knives whispered. "Die a slow, painful death."

Vash, hearing his brother whisper, felt his eyes grow wide. He climbed to his feet again and fumbled around the corner again. Knives walked slowly after him.

As Vash came into the square, people stared in horror at him. The clothes soaked in blood made him frightening. A thick trail lay behind him. Knives rounded the corner again. He cocked his gun and aimed.

"Give up," he smiled and fired.

Two shots hit Vash right above the heart. He arched his back and fell forward on all fours. He coughed and tart blood spewed from his mouth. Pain like no other pain he had felt before consumed him. His whole body shook. He closed his eyes in agony and slumped into the dirt._ Is this what it feels like to die?_

Knives stood about 20 paces from his brother. A sick, satisfactory grin stretched across his face. A crowd gathered around them, staying a safe distance away. Vash's body twitched once and then lay still.

_Play dead, I will save you_, he heard a voice in his head say. _What?_ He thought in return. There was no answer.

Knives cocked his gun and aimed for Vash's head, "I wanted to see you die slowly, but I guess I should put you out of your misery,"

Just then, the crowd started whispering as a woman pushed through and approached the two brothers.

"Esme Nime? Nime? Is it her?"

She was dressed from head to toe in black. She wore a baggy black shirt and pants, long sleeves that blew in the breeze. A cloth facemask and head cap rested on her, covering her face except for her eyes. Around her hips was a belt on which two guns rested in unsnapped holsters. Her feet were bare and her walk was calm. But her eyes, oh those eyes, were fierce and intent.

"That's enough Knives," she said firmly, stepping in-between them. "He's dead,"

"Who do you think you are? Move out of my way, human," he snarled.

"Put it away Knives. You've already taken his life."

"No I haven't, he's still alive, let me kill him," he said, but his gun shook with frustration.

Vash's heart began to flutter. The world around him started to close in ever so slowly.

"He's gone. Why deface him anymore? He is mine now, go." She said. Her eyes lightened. She turned around and scooped him up into her arms; the way heroes carry fainted damsels. He seemed to weigh nothing in her hands.

"NO!" Knives shouted, firing at Vash's face.

In one fluid motion too fast for the eye, the woman heaved Vash over her shoulder freeing her hand and caught the bullet. Knives's jaw dropped. Still smoking, she held it between her thumb and forefinger. With that, she crushed it and let the powder fall to the ground. The crowd gasped and took another step back.

She flicked her fingers, dusting off the last of the powder. She reached up and pulled her facemask down revealing startling features. Her lips played into a soft, pink smile. It was warm and loving, full of sympathy and understanding.

"Go home, Knives, Go home," she said. With that, she turned and walked away. The crowd cleared a path, scrambling to get away from her. Then, as quickly as she came, she disappeared into the city. When the people turned around, Knives was gone too. A pool of blood where Vash had been remained, the last reminder of the show down that had taken place.

Vash was dreaming. He was floating in a sea of blackness and pain. Wind swirled around him. Lifting him up and down mercilessly. Then, there was light. Bright, white, soft light. It was everywhere. It environed him completely. The pain and anguish just... evaporated and he was left feeling serine. A cold compress touched his forehead.

"Uh...?"He groaned, opening his eyes. Florescent lights in the ceiling shined down on him. There was a soft clinking sound beside him. He was lying on a thin mattress with only a pair of pants on. He felt a little woozy. Then he remembered.

The bullet holes! He gasped and groped his chest, feeing for them. But there was nothing. The scars that he'd had before were there, but the wounds were gone. He relaxed again, sighing deeply. How could they be gone with out a trace? They'd all been through and through; it made no sense.

"Here, drink this," she said, gently lifting his head and pressing a bowl to his lips. She smiled at him. "Please? It'll be good for you."

He opened his mouth and felt the soup fill his mouth. It was warm and flavorful. He swallowed and lay back down.

"There, that's much better. I'm glad you're awake. You've been asleep for a few days and I was worried I'd have to wake you myself," she said, placing the bowl down on a table.

She was kneeling on the floor next to his mattress. He recognized her as the woman from the other day. Her eyes were soft and happy as they looked at him. He noticed the color was almost like a swirl of his own and his brother's. Her face was simple, her lips a light pink. She wore her hair in a long braid at the base of her neck. Her left ear was pierced at the top.

_Beautiful_, he thought.

"Who are you... where am I?" he managed to say.

"People know me as Esme Nime, but that's only an alias I go by when I'm working. You can call me Morphia, Mar for short," she said. She added, winking, "Professional assassin, at your service."

She removed the damp cloth from his forehead and replaced it with a new one. She wrung the old one out into a bowl and placed it in a bucket if cold water.

"This is my home. I took you here after Knives tried to kill you."

"Why?" he asked. "How do you know me? Knives? I've never met you before."

"I've been watching you two for quite some time. I've known about you both from the first day I came to this planet. It's mostly why I came. For you two. And for the rest of your kind. You could say it is my purpose in life," she said, dabbing his face with the cold cloth. "Why I saved you? It wasn't your time to die. No one has the right to take the life of another,"

"You knew Rem?" Vash asked.

"I've... I've met her," she replied. "Here, can you sit up?"

Vash sat up slowly, touching the back of his head. "Yea, I guess,"

"Finish this and rest some more. You need it," Mar said, handing him his soup.

He took it, drained it, and instantly fell asleep. Mar touched his head, making sure his sleep was dreamless. Such a good heart, she thought, I couldn't let it go to waste.

Her hands touched the metal grate over his chest. She made a note to ask him if she could heal his scars too. It was with in her power, wasn't it? Such kindness was wanted somewhere.

Knives had found Legato's old uniform. He'd dyed where it was blue into a sort of yellow shade and fixed it so it would fit him. He looked at his reflection in the window as he looked out over the city. The coffee shop across the street was erecting a large, glowing sign that read "Coffee!" in large bubble letters across an oversized steaming mug. The lights made his new costume glow. Legato had been such a tool, but his efficient ruthlessness and insanity Knives admired. He hoped to embody some of that if he put on the old costume. Ever since he had started living with Vash, he felt like his 'evil' bits have been castrated. They'd come back; he knew they would. He knew.

Knives flipped some of his long hair over his shoulder. He'd kill them. Every last one of those ungrateful sons-of-bitches that populated _his_ potential paradise. An evil smirk stretched across his face. Every last one would go down.

He looked down at his hands, holding his gun. But first, he had some business to take care of. He had all the time in the world to do it too.

"I'm coming, Vash. I know you're out there and I'm coming for you."

Vash woke from his dreamless sleep by someone caressing his chest. His eyes shot open.

"Wha-?"

Mar was there, kneeling by him on the floor. Her hand was over one of the scars on his chest. A bright white light glowed from her palm. Where ever it touched, his scars faded away.

"What are you _doing_ to me?" he asked, alarmed.

"I was just... healing up your scars. I wanted to help you," she said, with drawing her hand. Her face seemed puzzled.

"Well don't. They're part of me," he said, a little bit angry.

"Oh... sorry. I didn't know it was like that," she murmured, looking down.

"Hey, don't be like that, you've been really helpful and everything. Its just... you know," he said, putting a hand behind his head.

"Yea, I know," she replied quietly.

He closed his eyes and smiled at her, hoping to cheer her up. She looked so much better when she was happy.

She returned his smile, "Breakfast?"

"Yes please, ma'am!" he said.

Mar smiled, winking at him, "I made fresh doughnuts. Thought you'd like some,"

Vash jumped to his feet, ready to dash to the kitchen, but found that he could barely stand. He wobbled for a moment and started to tip over when she caught him.

"Easy there, Vash. Come on, I'll help you out," she said, draping his arm over her shoulders. With her help, he walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. Mar set a large plate of doughnuts. Vash's mouth watered.

"Can I start?"

"I've already eaten, help yourself," she said, shrugging.

With out further prompting, Vash started shoveling the doughnuts into his mouth. He couldn't have been more content. A pretty girl, fresh doughnuts, a place to stay: what more could he ask for? Mar laughed from the sink.

"Whaf's so fhunny?" Vash said, turning around, his cheeks bulging.

She turned around and leaned with her back against the sink rim. Her eyes sparkled as she laughed, "You."

He swallowed and laughed nervously. She turned back around and started scrubbing plates again.

"Coffee?" she asked.

"Yes please," he chirped in reply.

"Cream? Sugar?"

"Black."

She poured him a cup and set it beside him. He looked at it. Suddenly, memories from that morning rose up in him. He made no move to take a drink. His appetite also suddenly abandoned him. Mar noticed. She turned around and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms.

Vash watched the steam rise off of his cup, "Did I die?"

Mar said nothing for a moment. Then she said, "Yes."

"You brought me back to life?"

Pause, "Yes."

"How! Why! I don't understand!" he shouted, slapping his fist on the table. A drop of his coffee splashed onto the wood surface. "You say no one has the right to kill some one and yet you're an assassin! You say you've met Rem, but you couldn't have! It doesn't make any sense!"

There was silence for a moment. Mar reached over and wiped up the spill with her finger.

"You aren't the only one who isn't human, Vash," she said quietly. More silence.

"You're not?" He asked slowly.

"No, I'm not," she said. "Neither are you, plant." She said it in a way that wasn't mean or degrading. It came out more like a statement of fact.

He covered his face with his hands, "What about Knives? He... he's lost it again and its all my fault. He's gonna go out there and kill innocent people again. What am I going to do? I can't save them all..." he said sorrowfully. Hot tear started to stream down his face.

Mar sat down next to him and patted his back.

"I'm... I'm going to fail her..." He sobbed.

He leaned in and started to cry on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him, soothing him as she did so. Her white shirt absorbed his tears. With out a word, she helped him stand and took him back to his sleeping mat and laid him down. After that, he rolled over and cried him self to sleep. She sat by him while he did, because she knew that exact feeling of despair. Of failure.

When Vash woke, it was dark out. He'd been sleeping on his side facing the wall. He opened his eyes and looked blankly into the black abyss of the window. What had woken him was that someone, somewhere, was singing.

He turned his head the other way, letting his body follow slowly. The lights in the ceiling were turned off, but dozens of candles were lit on the floor, casting shadows around the room. Mar was standing with her back to him. She moved slowly in the candlelight. Her body danced to a slow and skilled Tai Chi regime. It was she who was singing.

"_It's such a beautiful night,_

_Why aren't you here to see?_

_My arms are cold and empty,_

_Under my favorite tree..._"

Mar sang as she shifted from pose to pose.

There were more verses, Vash remembered that much. But he found him self lost in the sound of he it could hardly remember more than the chorus. He closed his eyes and sat up, listening. He was reminded of the song Rem used to sing. Oh poor Rem... Vash missed her. But he liked Mar; he like Mar a lot. Maybe he loved her. Vash couldn't think straight, not with that song in his ears...

Vash stayed with Mar for another three weeks. During that time she help him regain his strength. He'd wake up in the mornings when he smelled her cooking breakfast. She'd feed him (there were no more doughnut breakfasts after that first one, only chicken or soup so he could have some protein) and they'd talk over coffee. Vash found out a lot about Morphia, Professional Assassin at large that way.

Mar didn't like to kill, but she had to qualms about doing if for a job. A potential client would come to her, ask for a person to be whacked off, and then Mar would do it. After, of course, she gave 'the Talk'. 'The Talk' was basically a mini-lecture about how, once some one is dead, they cannot be brought back to life. It was her way of weeding out the crazy ones and "Honoring Rem," as she put it. Then, her hit would die. A single shot to the head, be it at close range or a sniper shot, or a quick and painless slit across the throat. The death would then be staged, Mar would be paid, and she would take the body.

"Where do you take them?" Vash asked.

"To Paradise," she said, pouring milk into her coffee.

"Paradise?"

"You and Knives keep saying that you'll make a paradise one day. I have," she replied. "I take them to my oasis, give them life again and set them loose in my Eden. They have water, shelter and food. What more do they need?"

Vash thought for a moment, "Are they clothed?"

"Optional,"

They both got a laugh out of that.

Her hits would die of age and then would be buried so they could give back to the land that had given to them.

"Death is not a scary thing. You shouldn't be afraid to die," she said one morning, looking out the window. A bird was feeding her hatchlings. "Death is the next part of Life. The next grand adventure."

After they'd finish breakfast, they'd meditate. After that, they would do some Tai Chi. Mar never sang when she worked with him. He'd heard her when she was washing dishes or doing something with her hands, but she always stopped before he got too close.

His strength returned steadily and soon he was back to his old self again, if not better. Vash's own feelings towards Mar, as he later realized in his last few days, had grown intensely strong. He felt he really loved her. Not the puppy loves from before. His heart ached to tell her, or say something, anything, but the time was never right.

When he first woke, he didn't realize it was his last day. He woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside the kitchen window. Vash couldn't smell any breakfast cooking, which was odd because Mar always made him breakfast.

"Maybe I slept in," Vash muttered to himself.

He swung his feet out of bed and rose, stretching. He let out a yawn and walked into the kitchen. His first thought was that Mar wasn't there. His second made his heart wrench.

Stretched neatly across the kitchen table were his flight suit and his red coat. Laid beside it was his gun, newly polished with a few extra rounds. There was his usual cup of coffee with a note attached to it. He picked it up, expecting the worst.

It read:

_My Dear Vash-chan,_

_I've been holding on to these for you. Now that you're fully recovered, I want you to have them back. It's time for you to go out into the world again. Don't worry, I'll still be watching over you._

_-Mar_

He was reading it a second time when there was a loud thunk from the kitchen window. His head snapped up in time to see the baby bird fall and land in the window ceil outside. The momma bird that he and Mar had watched every morning was, apparently, teaching her babies to fly. This poor creature had flown into the window. Its head lay to the side and an awkward angle, its wings half open. The other birds made no move to help or inspect their fallen brethren. Vash couldn't help but fell awful.

He looked at the note again, then to his retired clothes. Steam rose from his coffee in lazy swirls.

"Shit," he cried in despair, slapping the table. "Oh Mar... why, Mar? Why?"

He slumped into one of the kitchen chairs and buried his head in his arms. Soft, soggy tears went down his face.

"I love you so much... why can't I just stay with you forever in paradise?" he sobbed. "I thought I might have a chance. I thought that... that you might love me too,"

He raised his head and looked over at the dead bird again. Death is the next part of Life, she had said. The next part of life. Resting on the window ceil were his glasses. Vash got up and walked over to them. He picked them up and rested them in his robotic hand. With his other one, he wiped his tears away.

"The next part of Life," he whispered. He raised his voice, "I must now be a man! I will go out and save the world," he said, clutching his glasses to his heart.

"Aw, who I'm kidding?" he said, turning around. "I just have to move on again,"

He got dressed in silence. When he was done, he sat back at the kitchen table and drank his coffee slowly. His eyes, shielded by his glasses read her note over and over. It seemed to be written in haste and left regardless, but her printing was so perfect. She was so perfect.

"Damn it," he whispered, closing the door behind him. He left half of his coffee unfinished, cooling by the window ceil. The dead bird rolled off and landed on the ground.

Knives sat at of the counter of the 24-hour coffee shop. He hadn't been able to find Vash. He had looked high and low through out the world, but no such luck. _If worse comes to worse,_ he thought,_ I'll track down this Esme Nime woman and hire her to find him for me. Yes, I'll use her like I used Legato. Humans, they are such tools. And it's so easy to manipulate them. Vash can't hide forever. I know he's alive out there, I can feel it._

He sipped his drink quietly. He was the only customer at that hour, so he could sit in peace. There were two other waitresses and a short order cook in the back. He smirked and rested his cup against his lips. For his paradise, sacrifices must be made.

The younger of the two waitresses was whispering to the other. Knives closed his eyes and listened in.

"...Yea, he is kinda creepy, isn't he? It's the skull that does it. At least you don't have to go over there and talk to him. Ug! I just get shivers," she said quickly. She looked down at her watch, "hey, I gotta go ask him if he'd like anything else."

She got up and came over to him, standing behind the counter. She smiled kindly.

"Hey honey, could I get anything else for you? More coffee?"

Knives put his cup down, "No."

He looked up into her eyes and held her gaze. She began to shake a little. Then, a memory from when she was so little came up in her head.

A man with blue hair was sitting on a park bench. He was eating something, a hot dog was it? He had been wearing the exact same costume as this customer, except it had been blue. She had taken the food, no, he had given it to her, but his eyes were so unsettling. He had scared her. That is what this man did, only he was here now.

"Actually, I'd like to speak to your cook," Knives requested slowly.

"S-sure thing, s-sir," she said, stammering a little.

She turned around and called through window, "Hey, Henry? Someone wants to talk to you!"

The greasy cook stuck his head out, "What?"

Knives looked at him down the barrel of his gun. With out a word, he fired right in between poor Henry's eyes.

The younger waitress let out a scream. Knives got her right in the throat, making her fall to the ground. The other waitress turned and screamed at the scene. Knives, with out turning to look at her, fired a round right in her mouth. She flew back and hit the wall, spitting blood everywhere. Then she fell forward and died.

Knives finished his coffee. Putting it down on the saucer.

A low, deep laugh escaped his lips, "Perfect."

When he left, a message written in blood over the window to the kitchen read:

"Vash"

Just, "Vash".

_Ending thoughts: wow, I leave that hanging don't I? I liked that I incorporated that little kid that Legato was messing around with. What else...I feel sometimes that I am unusually cruel to Vash in this, but it gets better for him, I promise. Just not right away. And now, on to part two. _


	2. Part 2

  
Part 2 

Someone kindly reminded me that I had no disclaimer for part one. Let me try again

**The Disclaimer: **(sung to the tune of the Anthem but Good Charlotte)

It's a new fic, but it all feels old

It's a good plot, that what I'm told

But every thing at all just feels the same

When I found out, I didn't make

Up Vash-chan, or legato

My love for them only made me sing

I don't ever wanna get sued by you

I don't wanna do the things you do

I don't own trigun at all!

Cause I don't wanna,

Don't wanna be sued!

Don't wanna be sued by you, what I'm saying is

This is my fan fic, put all your hands up

You! Don't wanna get sued

Never made up Trigun or Vash

Don't shot me! I don't smoke hash

So I can go on writing what I want

I'm gonna be good, and won't do no time

Tell the truth though, Mar is mine!

I'm just a minor threat so pay no mind.

Do I really wanna to be like them?

Do I really wanna follow another trend

Am i really part of that crowd

Cause I don't ever wanna

I don't ever wanna be sued!

Don't wanna be sued by you

What I'm saying is, this is my fan fic!

Put all your hands up!

You! Don't wanna be sued

Read it once that's fine; read it twice that's ok.

Read it three times, you're starting to creep me out...

Sued! Don't wanna be sued by you.

What I'm saying is, this is my fan fic

I don't own trigun, ya'll gotta know me, read if your with me.

Sued! Don't wanna be sued by you!

This is my fan fic, I don't own trigun, ya'll gotta love me, read if you're with me

Another loser fan fic (whoa)! 4x

_Author's notes for Part 2: Ok, this is the last part that is based on my dream. Since I had to foreshadow and all that, I had to start thinking again and make up stuff. I promise the annoying little flashes of paradise are important and have a reason... other than that I needed a break. Oh, and Wolfwood and Rem are still very much dead. They just aren't hanging around with the living. I'll leave it at that. Other than that, enjoy the remainder of my dream. And read and review. That's always good._

_Time time time...time time time ...time time time..._the water sang as it splashed upon the rocks. There were fountains everywhere inside the building. All of it made Knives uncomfortable.

It had been months since the 24-hour coffee shop. During that time, Knives had kept his ears open for news of Vash the Stampede. Nothing. There had been rumors and sightings of a man in a red coat. Mostly in bars asking for a girl named Morphia or one called Mar. Rumors, nothing solid. That's when Knives turned his attentions to finding Esme Nime.

Finding her wasn't too hard, but it did take a month of his time. That's what brought him to the 5 stories building in September. The first floor was occupied by a family who ran a Chinese restaurant. The minute he had mentioned Nime they rushed him to the back where he found a staircase ascending up into the floors above. There he found the fountains. All along the walls in niches were fountains. He was looking at one at the top of the stair when-

"Hello, you must be Knives-san,"

Knives turned and looked at the little blond girl standing in front of him. She looked preposterously happy and youthful.

"My name is Akaria. We've been expecting you. Nime-dono will see you now. Please, follow me," she said, smiling up at him.

She turned on her heels and started to walk down the long hallway. Knives followed her slowly; keeping his eyes on her little blond head rather than the fountains. He had the strong desire to blow her brains out, but he needed her to lead him to Nime. Humans, such tools. Akaria lead him through a complicated system of halls and when Knives was completely confused, she stopped.

"Here we are," she nearly sang when they came to a sliding door.

Gingerly, she knocked and then opened it. She stood to the side, allowing for Knives to go first. He entered and stood in front of a large wood desk. Akaria entered and closed the door behind her.

Knives found himself face to face with Nime again. She was sitting in a tall swivel chair, looking just like she had when he first saw her, sans the facemask. Akaria bowed and smiled at her. Several candles burned around the room, making it look hazy.

"Hello Knives," Nime said through the smoke. "I knew you'd come."

"How-?"

"Akaria?" Nime interrupted, "Would you please wait in the hall again, I have a feeling our other guest is coming too."

"Yes, Nime-dono," Akaria said enthusiastically. She turned and skipped out.

Nime turned back to the work on her desk, writing slowly. Knives flipped his hair over his shoulders, out of his face. He studied her for a moment, the curves of her features, and the hue of her lips. Her rich, brown hair was swept back into a lazy braid at the nape of her neck; bangs too short to be tied back fell on to her forehead and around her face. This _human_ couldn't possibly have caught his bullet that day. And yet, she did.

"You seek my services," Nime said, turning a page. She said it like a statement, not a question.

"Yes, I do. But first, who are you?" Knives asked, frowning as he did so.

"I am Esme Nime," she said with out looking up. "Professional assassin, at your service."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Well. What kind of answer are you looking for?" she replied, looking into his eyes.

Knives offered no response. Nime took the time to regard Knives. He looked more wild and unruly than before. Somehow, he was wearing the old armor that Legato had once inhabited, but Knives had made some new altercations. His hair was even longer; it stretched down almost to his knees. The lower parts of his eyes were blood shot. She fought the urge to smile; he was desperate.

"What do you wish for?" she asked, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands.

"I want to find my brother, Vash the Stampede. You know him; you saved him from me over 6 months ago when I tried to kill him. I know he is alive and I want you to find him," Knives said.

"Do you want me to kill him?" she asked plainly.

Knives sneered, "Oh no, I just want you to find him," his smile got bigger. "I want to kill him my self."

She made a note on a piece of paper, "How much are you willing to pay?"

"Pay?"

She looked up at him expressionlessly, "I do not offer my services for free."

Knives shifted on his feet.

"How much is someone's life worth?" she asked, her eyes locking onto his.

No reply.

"I thought so. For tracking him down, I'll take a flat rate of $$10,000 and an additional $$500 a day," she said, turning her eyes back to her papers. "You are welcome to stay here until I have found him. I cannot ensure you completely that he will be alive when I find him and bring him to you. But I can guarantee that I will find him."

Knives thought about it, "Deal."

"I would have charged more, but... you will be the one carrying his death if I bring him back alive," she said solemnly. "Life is priceless,"

Knives was about to respond when a bell rang. Nime looked up.

"Damn, I took too much time with you," she muttered. "Knives, I'm going to have to ask you to please step into the room behind me."

Knives made no sign on moving. Nime got up and took his arm.

"Knives, I must insist, please come this way." She said, taking his arm and dragging him around to a door behind her desk.

She wrenched it open and pushed him in.

"There, now you make your self at home and I'll be right back," she said, smiling. She closed the door behind her, but it stayed open just a crack. Knives came back over and looked through.

Nime went and sat back down in her chair.

"Whew!" she sighed. "That was too close for comfort."

She bent over her papers again and started writing. Knives shifted his weight and looked around the room, watching the candles burn. Akaria opened the door again, and in walked Nime's second client of the day.

* * *

Vash looked up at the tall building through his glasses. He'd been wandering almost aimlessly for months. He tried to keep a low profile wherever he went. Plus, ever since Knives shot those three people in that coffee house; people were up in arms again looking for the easy bounty reward. It also got worse with each additional killing. Also, he'd been looking for Mar. No one he talked to seemed to know her. Deep in his heart, he still loved her, and he wanted to find her. That's why he was here in September.

Somehow, he knew she was in this building.

"I'm gonna find you, Mar," Vash said, gazing up at the tinted windows. "Right after some lunch!"

He walked inside the restaurant and sat down at the bar. A squat, little old woman came up to him.

"What can I get you, sir?" she said, her voice sharp and intent.

"Uh... can I have a shot of wild turkey and um..." he paused and thought. "And the specialty of the house," he added. "Please."

The woman turned around and shouted something through the kitchen window. Vash took the opportunity to look around. There were a lot of people here eating lunch. He was not alone at the bar. The rooms were decorated in an oriental style and a young girl played a string instrument in the other room. He didn't see any stairs around.

"Here ya go, partner," said the barkeep. He put down Vash's whisky.

"Thanks," he murmured.

He downed his shot and thought for a moment. She was _here_, but the question was _where_.

The old woman came back and put in from of him a large plate of something. It smelled delicious, but Vash wasn't hungry.

"Excuse me, miss?" Vash said, calling the old woman back.

"Yes'sa?"

Vash leaned in, "I'm wondering; I'm looking for someone. Her name is Mar. Is she here?" he asked lowering his voice.

"Mar? No, I know nobody like that," she said, shaking her white haired head.

Vash thought again for a moment. She had told him her assassin name. It was worth a shot, "Then... where do I find Esme?"

The old woman's eyes opened wide. She grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him close to her face. "Esme Nime? Who sent you? Why do you want to find her?"

"Ahh! I want..." he scrambled. "To have some one killed. Is she here?"

The woman let go. "You, come with me,"

She walked around behind the bar and Vash followed her. They went thought the double doors into the kitchen. People were rushing around madly, cooking and cleaning. The woman yelled an order and a little boy who scuttled off to do her bidding. They came to a back wall where a large sheet of paper with calligraphy on it hung.

"You go up the stairs. If she wants to see you, you will find her," the woman said, pulling a chord. The paper rolled up like shade and reveled a spiral staircase.

"Thank you ma'am," Vash said, bowing a little at the waist.

"Go," she said tartly.

With out further prodding, Vash climbed the stairs.

* * *

Somewhere in Paradise, twins were born. A baby girl and boy were brought to life. They slept gently in their mother's arms. Their father looked on with loving eyes. The simple joys of Paradise.

An apple fell from a tree near by and rotted.

* * *

"Hello, you must be Vash-san," said the little blond girl.

"Yea, how'd you-"

"Nime-dono is ready to see you," she said, smiling. "Please follow me."

Vash felt confused. The girl had her hair in twin pigtails with long tresses framing her face. Her cheeks were pink and she looked so young. She couldn't be more than 12 years old. She turned around, making her kimono flair around the edges a little.

"My name is Akaria. We've been expecting you." She said over her shoulder.

"You have?"

"Yes. Nime-dono said you'd be back."

"She said that?"

"Yea, and I've never heard Nime-dono be wrong."

"Oh."

Vash looked at the fountains that filled the hall. They all gurgled to their own tempo. "Why all the fountains?"

Akaria shrugged and kept walking, "Nime-dono likes them, I guess. She says she likes water. They remind her of... oh what was it?" Akaria paused and stood for a moment, tapping her chin. She remembered and said, "Right, she said the 'ocean'. I don't really know what that is, but if it makes her happy, who am I to deny her that?"

Vash said nothing. He watched Akaria's little head bob up and down as she walked. Maybe it was the light, but he swore he saw a little yellow butterfly fly past Akaria's face.

Vash blinked, "Huh?"

"I didn't say anything," the girl said, turning a corner.

"Oh." Vash followed. "So, Akaria? How old are you?"

"I'm 11, I think. I'm not completely sure. How old are you?"

Vash smiled, "um... 137 or so. I'm not really sure either."

Akaria smiled over she shoulder, "That makes two of us." She turned back around. _His brother wasn't nearly this talkative. I think I like Vash more._

Vash whistled a little, looking around. "So... how does a cute girl like you end up here?"

"Oh, that's easy," Akaria replied. "When I was seven, our house caught fire when my daddy left a cigarette burning. Nime-dono came in and saved me. I'm the only one in the whole building who lived. Since most of my family also lived in there too, she took me in and I've been working for her ever since."

"Working? Don't you miss you parents?" Vash asked.

Akaria cocked her head to the side, propping it up on one of her tiny hands, "I guess, sometimes. But not really. If it hadn't been for their laziness, they'd be alive. It was their time to die. That's what Nime-dono says."

Her frankness was startling, for a little girl that is. Vash was taken aback. He decided it was time to change topics.

"So, you call her Nime-dono?"

"That's what I call her."

"Never Nime-sama, or Nime-san?"

"Nope."

"Not Mar?"

Akaria stopped walking. There was a moment, a very small one, where there was no sound but the fountains. Then, Akaria started laughing.

"Mar? Nobody calls her Mar. She doesn't have anyone close enough to call her that. I'm surprised you knew it," she laughed. Akaria started to walk again, "The only one I've ever heard call her anything but Nime or Esme was Konji. But, then again, that's Konji."

Vash was about to ask whom Konji was when Akaria stopped.

"Here we are," she sang, tapping on a sliding door.

She pulled it aside and let Vash step in.

* * *

An old man died in Paradise. They buried him in a cluster of trees and put a rock to Mark the place. All the people of Paradise gathered around in silence.

"Does anyone want to say a few words?"

Nobody said anything. No one had known the man when he was alive or before they had been brought to Paradise. With that, they dispersed.

The twins woke up and cried.

* * *

"Good to see you again, Vash," Mar said through the hazy smoke from her candles.

"Mar!" Vash shouted as he ran forward. He would have embraced her, but that pesky desk was in the way.

She smiled softly, closing her eyes. "You seek my services."

Vash blinked. He'd been so excited he totally forgot why he went to the trouble of finding her. Well, one of the reasons anyway.

"It's Knives," he said finally.

"Your brother," she added.

"Yea, but he is even crazier than before! He killed these three people in a coffee house. He leaves my name in blood, making everyone out there angry again. So, I'm on the run-"Vash went on and on. Waving his arms around, he paces in front of Mar's desk. She closed her eyes and listened quietly, breathing in the smoke.

When Vash was finished bringing her up to speed, she answered lazily, "I know, Vash. I told you I'd keep tabs on you."

Vash blinked, feeling confused and a little embarrassed.

"What do you want me to do about it?" she asked.

"I... I don't know. I've got nowhere else to run to, nowhere to hide. I thought that-,"

"That I could help?"

"Yes!" He exclaimed. "Help me find him or calm him down or anything! He is out of control and I can't do anything."

Mar picked up a candle and used it to light another one on her desk. "Are you sure?"

"I don't know." He said, hanging his head.

Mar was about to respond when the sliding door burst open behind her.

* * *

"Three... two...one," Knives heard Nime whisper.

The sliding door opened at the other end of the room. From his crack in the wall, Knives saw Akaria standing in the doorway. She let a man dressed in red enter. The door closed behind her.

"Good to see you again, Vash," Nime greeted the man.

Vash? He was here?

"Mar!" Vash shouted, dashing forward.

"Mar?" Knives whispered. "Why'd he call her Mar?"

Nime paused. "You seek my services."

She used that same line with me, Knives thought. He felt a bead of sweat drip down his face.

"It's Knives," Vash said.

Knives gasped, clutching his gun tightly.

"Your brother."

"Me? He came to her to kill me?" Knives whispered. He was shaking. "This is my chance. I must wait for the right moment."

"...Killed these three people in a coffee house. He leaves my name in blood..." Vash rambled on in the other room.

_Only three? I thought there was more. There have been so many deaths since that; it's hard to remember them all. Hm... yes brother. All for paradise. And finding you,_ Knives thought.

"I know, Vash."

"What?" Knives gasped, struggling to keep his voice down. _How could she have known?_

"I told you I'd keep tabs on you."

_Tabs? She's been watching him? Why? How?_

"What do you want me to do about it?" she asked.

"I... I don't know. I've got nowhere else to run to, nowhere to hide. I thought that-,"

"That I could help?"

_Ah, so he doesn't want me dead. I thought too highly of you, brother. For a moment, I thought you'd come up to my level._

"Yes! Help me find him or calm him down or anything! He is out of control and I can't do anything."

He saw Nime shift in her chair. Knives quickly checked his gun and waited. His moment was coming soon.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't know."

_Now._

Knives flung open the sliding door.

"Knives!"

Knives came around and aimed his squarely at Vash's head.

"Well well well, look what we have here. I was going to have to pay her to hunt you down, Vash. But it looks like I won't have to. You walked in all on your own. I've been looking for you. Looking and looking. I walked the very face of this planet trying to find you. Why? To ask you one last time: are you with me? Or against me?" Knives cocked his gun.

Vash was sweating. Then, his face set into a firm stare. "I won't let you kill innocent people."

"Then you're against me."

"Yes."

"Then I'll kill you."

There was a gunshot and Vash fell to the floor with a hole in his head.

Akaria let out a nervous squeak from her spot on the floor. She trembled.

"Oops, looks like I got him anyways."

* * *

Konji was lying down beside Rem and Wolfwood. They all watched the sun set slowly. Wolfwood sighed, breathing out a puff of smoke.

"You talk to her yet, Konji?" Wolfwood asked.

Konji said nothing.

"Heh, didn't think so. You haven't talked to either of them?"

Silence.

"Fine, be that way. You just let 'em know I said hi when you do, okay?" he reasoned, putting out his cigarette.

Rem closed her eyes and sighed. "Does she ever sing my song?"

Konji sneezed, shaking his head.

She smiled, "That's good. I'll take that for yes. That makes me happy, that she still remembers it. You know it's been so long since I last saw her in person. She doesn't come up to see us much anymore. But... you know, I like to listen to her sing her own song. It reminds of when... back when I was..."

Wolfwood put a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. I miss it too. But, you know. This ain't too bad. All we can do is wait. Right?"

Konji sat up and stared into the darkness.

* * *

Time just about stopped in Mar's office. Vash lay on the floor bleeding, the side of his face pressed against the carpet. Poor Akaria was kneeling next to the door shaking uncontrollably. Knives's eyes were full of shock. His gaze was fixed on the spot where his brother once stood.

Mar blew the smoke of the top of her gun. For the first time, she felt true panic. Her plan was almost brought to ruin. If she had closed the door all the way, none of this would have happened. She put the gun back in its holster. It's okay, though. She fixed the problem herself. It's just trouble shooting, that's all.

Slowly, Mar rose to her feet and walked over to where Vash was sprawled on the floor. Scooping him into her arms, she turned to Akaria.

" Knives, you are welcome to stay or she can show you to the door." Mar explained.

With that, she left Knives standing there with that little girl. The cup of coffee on Mar's desk got cold.

* * *

It was dark when Vash woke up. Then he realized that his eyes refused to open. He was still in that foggy place between asleep and awake. Straining, he could hear voices whispering near by.

"... Really, they say hi? That's nice. I'm glad that they are thinking of me. I really ought to go visit them sometime, huh? I know, I know. But I've got so much to do around here, what with Vash and Knives and all. I don't know if I can." Pause. "Oh stop that. You know I can't just stop in the middle of this. I am going to finish what I've started. I'm good about things like that. Most of the time, anyways."

Vash recognized Mar's voice. She was speaking to someone. The other person snorted.

"Konji... you're not making my life any easier, you know that? I'm up to my eyeballs in stress. My plan almost got completely fucked up today. I need to check the future more often more thoroughly. And Fate... oh crap I need to see her soon too don't I?" pause. "I know, you've been reminding me for, like, forever about it. But I've been _busy_, what with the twins and all. Both sets. I've had a flood of commissions. Konji, you know how it is. Oh Konji, its so exasperating!" another pause. "Have you visited her?"

That was Konji? Who was Konji? The same one that Akaria was hinting at earlier? Why wasn't he/she saying anything? There was a shuffling sound.

"That's good. I bet she would get lonely with out us bugging her all the time, huh? I'm glad she is doing well."

There was a long paused. Vash heard a faint jingling sound, like a bunch of keys on a ring. Then, a sort of panting or breathing; it was hard to tell since sleep was still threatening to take him again.

"Vash?" Mar asked the other. Vash hadn't heard the former ask a question. "Well... yea I shot him. I had to; how else was I supposed to _save_ him if I just let Knives run around blowing holes in him again. It was a lot harder to bring him back to life last time 'cause Knives was the one who killed him, not me. It's so much simpler when I'm the one who does it. I don't know if he will forgive me. And don't look at me that way. I don't want to make this a habit either." A brief pause. "Oh shut up. You're getting on my nerves."

There was a slight growl. Vash twitched.

"Hey, I think he might be coming around. Off you go." There was that jingling again. "Wait! I have something. Give this to Fate when you see her. It's a letter, not a bomb. Don't look at it like that. And don't, you know, slobber on it or anything. I spent a lot of time and thought on that letter. Tell Nick and Rem I say hi, if you think about heading that way, okay, Konji? Bye now," Mar whispered quickly.

Nick? Did she mean Wolfwood? And Rem? They were alive? How could that be?

There was a scraping sound on the floor that accompanied the jingling sound. Then, a thud and a pop and then there was silence. Mar's hand caressed over Vash's chest. He suddenly realized that he was shirtless again.

"Shh... sleep now," she cooed, and he did.

Vash's eyes burst open and he yelled at the top of his lungs. He'd been having a nightmare. Sitting up, he covered his ears and shook his head. Mar was beside him in a flash.

"Vash! Vash, honey. It's okay. It's okay," she said, touching his back gently. Vash was still shaking. "It was a bad dream. You're safe now. Sh, it's all right."

She wrapped her arms around him and kept muttering into his ear. After a few minutes, he stared to feel better. His grip on reality returned slowly and he lied down again. With that, he shut his eyes tightly, willing the haunting after thoughts to go away.

Mar ran her finger across his forehead and through his hair, which had fallen flat. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Vash thought for a second: He and Rem, standing on the shore of an ocean, Rem turning into Mar, Mar pointing a gun at him and speaking with Knives's voice, Vash dieing. "No."

"Okay."

Vash opened his eyes. Mar was watching him sweetly. Her eyes sparkled a little. The little voice in his head wanted to say I love you, but his mouth wouldn't listen.

"Here, drink this. You're probably hungry." She said, picking up a bowl and spoon. "Sit up, if you can. Or I can feed you myself."

Vash sat up and took the soup from her. He found that he was indeed starving. He practically inhaled the soup. Mar smiled again.

Vash lowered the soup bowl and let it sit in his lap. He stared into it for a moment.

"Mar?" he asked.

"Yea?"

"I... I heard you talking, when you thought I was asleep." He said slowly.

Mar said nothing, keeping a perfect poker face.

"I know you killed me."

"Oh," was all Mar said.

"I heard you explain why. It's just... you shot me. I still have to ask why."

Mar smiled, cupping his face in her hands, "I had to, to save you. If I hadn't... I don't know if I could have brought you back to life so successfully. Do you remember last time? You were tired and weak. You're not now, because I was the one who took your life and gave it back."

Vash looked into her eyes. He swore he saw affection there. She was close enough to kiss. _Please,_ he thought, _please kiss me_.

Mar let go. Vash wanted to ask about Wolfwood and Rem and 'Fate' and everything else she had said. But all he could muster was, "Who were you talking to?"

Mar looked a little startled at the question. Then she smiled, "Oh, no one special. Just my dog."

Vash felt he needed to probe a little deeper with that, but Mar got up, ending the conversation.

"Come on, I'll put some coffee on."

Vash said nothing but rose to his feet. She was right. He didn't feel tired or weak like he had last time. The soft padding of his bare feet across the carpet floor felt good. He came into the kitchen and sat at the table. Looking around, Vash realized that it was the same kitchen from before, the same apartment. He thought back and realized that he had absolutely no memory of what happened after he left Mar's apartment for the first time. Not even which city he had been in.

Mar was walking around the kitchen, pulling out things for coffee. She turned on the machine and started to hum absent-mindedly. _Rem's song,_ Vash thought.

The pot started to fill slowly. Mar grabbed two mugs from the top shelf.

"Mar?" Vash asked, staring at her.

"Mmm?" she hummed.

"Never mind," he said, thinking better of it.

"Okay."

There was a lull in the conversation. Mar leaned against the counter and watched the pot fill. Vash watched Morphia.

"You know, I never meant to kill you. I mean, I never planed for that." She said suddenly.

Vash didn't say anything, his eyes focused on her face. She kept staring at the coffee.

"I knew Knives would come in and ask me to find you. The plan was I'd accept and I'd find you and hide you. I wouldn't kill you at all. I was going to try and calm him down, you know? Heal him and make him better again. That was the plan. But then you showed up earlier than I expected and here we are."

"Are you being honest?"

She looked at him, her eyes very serious and a little hurt, "When it comes to people's souls, I am always honest."

Vash said nothing but returned her gaze.

The coffee maker dinged and Mar poured them each a cup.

"Sugar?" she asked.

"No, I take it black."

"Right, how could I forget?" she said, nodding curtly. She put a cup down in front of him.

"Why is he so messed up?" Vash asked.

"Hmm," Mar paused. "He is missing part of himself still. That's what I'm going to help him find. That's how I'm planning to heal him. All I need is a little time."

"Oh," Vash blew on his coffee, making the steam disperse.

"You know, he decided to stay here."

"Really?"

"Yea, I gave him that option... oh wait, you wouldn't remember, you were already dead by then. Sorry," she said, stirring her cup.

She took a seat. Normally, she would sit across from him, but today, she sat down in the chair right beside him.

"Are you going to fix him?" Vash asked.

"I am going to try. I have not looked into the future and seen my success or failure yet. I think I will do this one blind."

"You can see the future?"

Mar smiled a little, "Maybe?"

Neither of them said anything for a moment or two. Then, Mar started to hum the song Vash had heard the night he woke up and found her doing Tai Chi. He closed his eyes and listened to her.

Suddenly, Vash asked, "Why do you always sing that song?"

"It makes me happy and calm, I guess." She replied.

He thought for a moment. "Yea, I know what you mean."

Vash turned to look at her. She looked back at him, smiling. Vash reached over and put a hand on the side of her face. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips. For a moment, Vash thought his heart was going to burst.

He pulled back and opened his eyes, seeing her open hers at the same moment.

In the very pit of her stomach, she felt primal fear. This was not according to plan either. She looked down into her coffee cup, looking at the hazel color.

"Vash... I..." she said slowly. Then she got up suddenly, placing her cup down on the table. "I have to go now Vash. I'll... I'll see you later, okay?"

With that, she turned and hurried out of the room. Vash heard the front door open and close. He looked around again and realized that this was not the same apartment. It wasn't the same and he was all alone. Again. He finished his coffee in silence and then poured hers down the drain. He almost smiled inwardly, he was sure that she had kissed him back.

* * *

Knives was watching the sunset from the hallway. There weren't any fountains on this floor, but a lot of plants. He liked the plants. He leaned against the wall and stared out the window. It was a vivid orange with purple clouds. Further up it was blood red.

Akaria had told him to not leave the room at all. She had also told him that everything he needed was there, she would bring him meals if he could not cook, Nime-dono would be into see him soon, don't go wandering around. After Nime had left, he had told Akaria that he wanted to stay. She smiled and asked him to follow her. She took him up two flights of stairs and through another maze of corridors until they came to a hallway on the side of the building. She opened the door and showed him the apartment. She had returned to her normal, perky self from the nervous wreck she had been when Nime had shot Vash. Akaria put up a good front, but Knives could see in her eyes a very pure, animal fear. She was scared. She was very, very scared. _Good_, he thought.

After little Akaria had left him standing in his place, he made a thorough inspection of it. There was a sleeping palate, a little kitchen, bathroom, low table, no chairs, and one tiny window in the bathroom that didn't lead to anywhere. He walked out of his room and decided to stare out into the distance for a while.

His mind kept running in circles around Nime. Part of him wanted to start calling her Mar, which seemed more intimate. Vash had called her that; maybe that was her real name. He was unsure. He remembered the first time he saw her. His heart almost stopped. She was a luscious, dangerous creature. Part of him wanted her; the other wanted to see her brain splattered across the floor. Something also told him that she wasn't human. No human can catch a bullet out of mid air with out damage. And yet she had. No human could be that lovely. And yet she was.

Part of her screamed Rem, which is the part he hated. He hated Rem and everything she stood for and had ever said she was a fraud. She had turned his brother into a soft, wet blanket. But she was an assassin, which meant she killed for a living. She was everything he wanted and despised. Ah, sweet irony.

Knives was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't hear her coming down the hallway. Mar had decided to take a walk after Vash had kissed her. She was completely distressed. She was so distraught that she didn't even notice she was on the fourth floor until she saw Knives leaning in the hallway. She smiled and came up to him.

"Hello Knives."

Knives suddenly noticed her but didn't make any move to acknowledge her appearance.

"How are you doing?"

He kept his eyes on the sun.

"Okay," Mar said, easily. _Not up for talking._

So she stood beside him in silence. Time passed very slowly. After about an eternity, She started to hum very softly. Knives recognized it instantly as the one Rem always sang.

Knives opened his mouth slightly, "You remind me of Rem..."

She stopped humming.

"Except I can love you," he finished slowly.

"I know," Mar said, closing her eyes. _How could I not have seen it? This can't be happening._

Knives turned and gripped her shoulder tightly. Shock paralyzed her for a moment as she looked up into his eyes. For a second, the cold hatred vanished. His grip tightened and he leaned in and placed a forceful kiss on her lips. She stood frozen.

He released his grip on he, opened his eyes and pulled away. Her face (those eyes!) was completely unreadable.

"Good night, Knives," she said blandly, turning around and disappearing into the shadows. The sun went down, leaving the earth looking like black coffee.

* * *

The wolf was lying on the floor by her writing desk. The room was completely dark except for three lit candles on the desk. His paws were crossed and his head rested perfectly in the cradle that his forelegs created. His big, brown eyes were half open. The very sight of him made one think he was dead.

Then, Morphia burst through her door. Hot tears streamed down her face and she collapsed on the floor beside the wolf.

"It isn't supposed to happen this way! It isn't! I'm supposed to heal him cleanly; I can let them go back, I can keep expanding paradise. This is all wrong. Why didn't I see it? Why didn't I _look?_" she sobbed.

The wolf sat up and walked closer to her. The collar around his throat jingled. His eyes were sympathetic. Morphia wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him closely.

"Konji, this isn't what I planned. I wanted to teach them love, but I didn't want it to be me... it's not what I wanted." She cried into his glossy fur. The wolf licked her cheek the way dogs do, tasting her tears.

_I know, Mar,_ said Konji, nuzzling her, _I know.  
  
_

_Ending thoughts: ain't that a kicker, Konji really is a dog and Mar wasn't lying. I think Akaria is obnoxiously happy, kinda like me when I'm hyper. Man, I'm annoying. Mar also seems to seriously be screwing up today, must be having some bad luck. oh, and when i made up all the names, i didn't know that konji also refers to a written form of japanese. i might use that in the future. hehe! So, please tell me what u think, cause as of right now, I don't have much of part 3 written and I want to know if I should go on or give up. R&R!!! _


End file.
